The Diary Of Jacob Masterson
by WilMorris
Summary: [Urban Dead] A retrieved document from Malton that documents the last days of Jacob Masterson, former police officer and survivor of the infection incident.


**Entry One: Survivor Awakening:**

Malton is a lot different from my memories. Least I think there memories. My head hurts so much, like a bad hang-over. Those who have gotten hold of this might be a bit confused so I might as well explain myself.

I am Jacob Masterson. I am, guess it's was now, an armed response officer of the Malton Police Department. I woke up in the cells of Retallick Walk Police Department. Last thing I remember was being in a car driving away from Malton. There had been a virus outbreak and me and a fellow officer Mark Daniels where getting out of there. We where talking happily, making jokes and laughing. We where nearing the checkpoint at Millen Hills so I looked away to get my police ID and clearance. When I looked back Mark's face had changed. He wasn't smiling. He always smiles. He looked like he was going to cry. I think I saw blood dripping out of his ear. My head hurts so much.

That's when woke up in the cells. I found a handwritten note near the cell gate. All it said was "Sorry". The gate was locked but key was in the cell with me, well away from the bars. I got out and made my way upstairs and saw the windows boarded up, the doors barricaded with about six people sitting around. A few of them reached for guns. Some of them weren't officers. It's strange. The first thing that went through my mind was that some of the people with guns weren't officers. Seems so benign now. Thinking about that, a two of the people there where I don't know what. They where dressed in army garb but where wearing an insignia I didn't recognise. I asked what was going on and they explained what had happened.

The virus was like no other virus. I was a toxin that re-animates the brain after death. It was meant to be some sort of medicine. No one seemed to know what it was. Those insignia people where very quiet thinking about it. They must know something about it. Anyway, when the virus re-starts your brain after you die, you need to feed to keep it running. But it seems that you become some sort of carnivorous shell. So you go for the nearest meat there is, human. People where just calling the zombies. I thought they where just in the movies. Zombies don't exist. Their just monsters. Just wild animals let lose in the city.

* * *

**Entry Two: Dead Eyes:**

Spent the day fixing the barricades. I asked them what happened, how I got in to the station. Some people are unwilling to talk or say anything to anyone. One man, he called himself Freddie, said that a man was carrying me to the station when he collapsed, dropping me on my head. Might explain why my memory is a bit blurred right now. Anyway, some of the people in the station came out to help us. They carried us in.

The man was apparently falling in and out of consciousness. Screaming and moaning. Eventually he stopped but, they say, he turned into one of them. He attacked one of the other people in the station, bite their neck. So they shot him. They say that the virus can be transferred through saliva, so by bites. They shot the one he bite as well. After that they threw their bodies outside. I looked and nothing was there so they either got back up or walked off after they died or there is something more sinister going on.

One of the people the insignia never stopped looking at me and Freddie when we where talking. It creped me out. Those eyes. I could tell they've seen this before. But I can't help but wonder if they know more.

We had to take apart one of the desks from the offices upstairs to finish the barricades. Needed the wood and the nails. Someone got impatient and took his sledgehammer to one of the desks. One of the women, don't know her name but she was dressed as a nurse, screamed at him. She shouted about how the wood was better whole and he could break the nails by using the sledgehammer. They ended up in a shouting match until Freddie stepped in and separated them. As I helped him take one of the desks apart he said "Everyone is afraid they are going to die. But it's going to happen whether we like it or not." It seemed a rather depressing thought but now I've thought about it, it isn't. Why are we afraid to die? Especially now with all these monsters roaming around. The ultimate end is that we will die and maybe become one of them. What's so bad about that? Those things are just shells, aren't they? You don't feel anything when you become one of them, do you? How much of your brain gets re-animated? Do you feel pain if your one of those things? Do you have a conscience? I'd rather not think about it.

We where just finishing up the barricades when I saw one of those things. Ambling along just across the street. I told the others in the station. Freddie said if he hadn't seen us so we should let it be. Guess we are being stealthy while we hauled up in here. Gunfire would just gat us some unwanted attention. It stopped and stared right at us. Right at me. Those eyes. Sunken and bloodshot. Dead eyes filled with rage and a primal hunger. Hauntingly reminiscent of the man with an insignia. Something dark in those eyes. Something I scarcely understand. Would I even want to know? Someone aimed their rifle at the monster but Freddie told them not to shoot until we where sure it had seen us. Eventually the monster moved on. We where safe, for now. How long until one of those things notices us?

* * *

**Entry Three: The Hospital Visit:**

We where starting to run out of supplies, food mostly, but there where a few medical supplies we where starting to run low on. Few of us banded together to go out and look for whatever we could. As a police officer I had some handgun training so I volunteered as an extra gun. There where a few people from the army so we weren't short of marksmen. The final group was myself, Freddie, 2 soldiers (a man and a woman) and a doctor. 2 more soldiers with rifles and an athletic looking civilian said they would cover us from the roofs as far as they could. Turns out, there's a system of planks and ladders connecting some of the roofs. Still looks like using it takes a bit of skill to make some of the jumps. Or maybe just practice. I'm in no hurry to try and jump from one roof to the next 4 stores up. I'm a cop, not a gymnast. It's far out of my skill-set

We left the station from the first floor to leave the barricades un-touched. Jumping from the first floor is not as bad as I remember. As I was helping bring through the guns through the holes in the barricade, the 'Monkey Team', as we starting calling them, waved at us from the roof and disappeared north. Guess they where scouting ahead. After the whole team was outside and armed, a man with the strange insignia barged past the people who where helping people down from the first floor and joined us outside. But now he was wearing a long jacket. Guess I should have known something was up.

Freddie said our destination was north a few blocks, the St Dionysius's Hospital. He said there where a few survivors there and a few doctors. That was the first time I heard him, or anyone for that matter, refer to other people as survivors. Is that what we are? Guess we lucked out.

We made our war north pretty much unchallenged. Only saw one monster and the army people took care of it with a pair of fire axes. Using guns outside just would swamp us with those monsters.

We had only gone 2 blocks when the man with the insignia turned off and started to walk away from us. Freddie said people shouldn't wonder off. The man didn't listen and just kept walking. I said I'd go with him but the man just turned to us and pulled out a handgun he had hidden in hid long jacket and pointed it right at me. He ordered that no one was to follow him or he kill us. I just froze. I could tell he meant it. Those bloodshot eyes would shoot me dead if he had the chance. I was just frozen in place. The doctor put his hand on my shoulder and said we wouldn't. He just kept pointing the handgun at us. Suddenly, in one movement, the man holstered his gun, turned away from us and started walking away from us. No one moved until he was out of sight. We where all too afraid. I was. That was the first time that had happened to me. I had gotten in to shoot-outs before but this time it felt different.

As soon as he was gone, the doctor let out a sigh of relief and asked if I was ok. It took me a moment to reply. I was just shocked at what happened. What was he hiding? Hiding to the point where he would kill all of us over it. My guess is that he was walking to the Saint Building. But that's just an office building for some medical company. We all decided that it would be too dangerous to go snooping. Zombies where hard enough to fight. Going against an armed lunatic as well would get us all killed.

The rest of the trip north was rather un-eventful. No monsters. We heard a few noises coming from the buildings but we just let them be. A few people waved from inside the Powlett Road Police Department building as we passed. Wondered how they knew we where passing by but then I saw 'Monkey Team' standing on the station roof. They waved as they crossed the makeshift bridge that connected the roof of the station to the 3rd floor of the hospital. Seems like learning gymnastics may have its uses after all.

We got to the front door of the hospital. The whole front of the hospital seemed barricaded shut. But then a section of the barricade moved and they just opened a hinged part and let us in. We where greeted by a Dr. Madavan. I asked him "Isn't having an open entryway dangerous?" He just said that this was a hospital. Patients have to be able to get in some how. It was a good point. Freddie and the doctor walked and turned down the corridors, probably to get the supplies, while the 2 army people sat with some other army people at the barricade and started chatting. Madavan asked if I wanted to have a look around the hospital. I agreed so Madavan led me on a tour around the hospital. I was rather surprised by how set up they where. They have a series of generators set up because there is no power from the grid. One of the wards was fully running with beds, nurses and everything. In that moment, it felt like everything was back to normal. I saw a room with boxes filled with books. I asked Madavan what they where doing with the books. He said they where taking books from the museum next door and making sure they survived. I remember that the HarrisMuseum had connections with the hospital. I saw an exhibition made of patent art years ago.

Freddie came round one of the corners and talked to Madavan about the supplies. They said something about time and Freddie looked at his watch. Madavan pointed down the corridor and Freddie gave thanks. Turns out that carrying the supplies back today would mean we would be passing the boxes into the station as it went dark. Apart from not being able to see what we where doing, we would be open targets for the monsters. We where going to stay the night. Spare beds where what Madavan was pointing to. I asked if I could look at the books for a while. Madavan graciously agreed and it's where I am now when I write this entry. Least someone thinks that keeping these works alive is worth doing.

* * *

**Entry Four: Paper Glass:**

During the night, Madavan said that today there was going to be an expedition into the museum next door to look to works to store with the other books and, because of the interest I had with the books and my firearms training, if I wanted to join them. I agreed. So at dawn I joined Madavan and a woman called Jenny, who is (was) the curator of the museum.

There was a makeshift bridge connecting the hospital and the museum so we got in without much hassle. The bridge was only a few feet long but walking across 3 wood planks nailed together 3 stories up was rather daunting.

The museum was a shadow of how I remembered it. The walls to the street where mostly made up of glass. Least what was formerly glass. Most of it was fragments on the floor. The morning wind blew in through the broken windows chilling the whole museum. Jenny saw that I was cold and picked up a jacket off the floor and handed it to me. There was blood on it so I turned it down. Jenny made the point that whoever had it before wouldn't need and wasn't going to use it any more so I relented. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable. I'm still wearing it.

Jenny said that the main storage rooms where in the basement of the museum. It was less humid there so storing what was essentially paper was easer. As we made our way through to the open atrium of the museum, we could see one of those things below us on the ground floor. It was looking in our direction. I thought it saw us. But Jenny said that it didn't. She said that it was mesmerized by its own reflection in the glass in front of it. I thought all the glass was destroyed but most of the glass in the atrium was in one piece and un-touched. I can't help but wonder why or who would smash the glass in the front of the museum and not the glass in the atrium where smashing it would make it easer to get around the museum. The mind of the person who damages art is an odd place to think about.

We went down the main stair well and got into the storage rooms. All the doors where locked. But I noticed that the doors didn't fit with the look of the rest of the corridor. Turns out that the original doors where destroyed. Probably by the same thugs who would smash the front windows rather then use the wide open, double doors. Jenny said that most of the works that where in the building where moved into storage when the virus appeared.

Jenny and Madavan spent a while looking at the works, thumbing through books and stacks of paintings. I could see some of the paintings had paint on them while some others where torn to shreds. I guess they where checking what was worth taking and what wasn't. I just stayed out of their way. I don't think myself as an intellectual so I wouldn't know what was worth taking and what wasn't.

After a little while, they had filled 2 boxes with books and wrapped up a painting. Me and Madavan carried the boxes while Jenny carried the painting. She locked up the storage room and we made our way upstairs to the plank bridge to the hospital. Aside from a few noises, getting back was pretty uneventful. We didn't really try to be that quiet by this point because we felt like we where clear from any danger. Thinking back, I can't remember if the monster that was in the atrium was still transfixed by their reflection or not. I should have noticed something like that.

We got to the plank bridge and started carrying the boxes across. Jenny went across first. She was the lightest with the painting. Madavan said that I should go next. He said I was the new guy with all of this. So I crossed. The bridge was really daunting crossing it before but now I was carrying a box full of books as well. The boards creaked with every step. I really thought I was going to fall the 3 stories and do myself in. Madavan was concentrating on me so much that he didn't notice one of the monster creep up behind him. He managed to hear it just in time and ran across the bridge, making me lunge forward into the hospital. I fell and landed on to box of books I was carrying. It felt like I cracked my ribs. The world seemed to go blurry. I could barely breathe.

I managed to regain my bearings in time to see Madavan throw the box I had carried at the plank bridge, smashing the bridge and the box. The books tumbled down the gap between the buildings and out of sight. The monster just stood in the hole of the museum wall and stared at us. I tried to get up but my ribs throbbed, forcing me back down. I managed to see Freddie come charging down the corridor with a bunch of soldiers before I passed out.

I woke up a little while later in the hospital bed I'm still in now. Turns out I did break my ribs. 3 full breaks and 2 minor fractures. Madavan said I was lucky that I didn't puncture a lung. Freddie said that I should stay here while he and the others take the supplies back to the station. Because of the fiasco that I caused with my ribs, they delayed leaving until tomorrow morning. Can't help feel a little guilty. Hope the others back at the station aren't getting too worried about what happened to us. By tomorrow, it's taken us 3 days to go only a few blocks and pick up supplies.

* * *

**Entry Four: Hospital Stay:**

Freddie and the others left today. Turns out that there is a radio system between the buildings so the people back at the station knew what had been happening the whole time.

* * *

Madavan said that Freddie called in over the radio this evening. They only had a few run-ins with monsters on the way back to the station but everyone is ok and behind the barricades. I was relieved to hear that they're ok

* * *

It's been a while since I wrote last. Not much has happened. I'm just lying in bed. Although Madavan said that they are running low on painkillers so I going to be given less until they find more.

* * *

Christ, my ribs hurt! I'm only on pain pills now. I swear they don't even work. I've barely slept. How can I sleep with my ribs throbbing so much?

* * *

Madavan came in saying that a stock of morphine was found in one of the near by abandoned hospitals. I was allowed to have some but not in a self medicating IV drip. I said I didn't care. I just wanted my ribs to stop hurting.

* * *

It's been a couple of weeks since I broke my ribs. I can sort of lean now. It still hurts a bit when I do so I try not to. Especially when I'm walking around. I didn't realise that I leant so much when I walk until now.

* * *

I took a walk around the hospital. Everything was pretty much the same. Although, I had a look into the room that had the power generators and it looked like one of them was broken. And it seemed like they where running low of fuel. Lots of empty fuel cans. Made me worried that the power was going to go out.

* * *

Something happened. Something major. I heard a big commotion and saw people rushing about. Madavan told me to stay in my room. I can't really run or carry anything anywhere so thought that was sound advice. A little while later the lights went out. Maybe they where not trying to draw attention to the hospital. But while later while I was in bed I heard gunfire. First it was a few shots but slowly there was more. I tried to get out of bed but someone came to my room and locked the door to y room. I tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge. Soon it sounded like a full on gunfight was going on. It went on for 10 or so minutes but then it stopped. Nothing has happened since. I haven't heard anything or seen anyone. The lights are still out too. Luckily there was a torch in my room so I still see something and write this. No idea if this will be my last entry or not.

I've tried to sleep but just can't. What if I'm alone? What if everyone in the hospital is dead? I'm not sleeping tonight.

* * *

Madavan is dead. Madavan and 5 other people were killed last night. A band of lunatics came to the hospital last night and opened fire. They tried to slaughter everyone. God knows why. First chance I get, I'm getting out of here. No idea where I'll go. Back to the station probably. I just want to leave.

* * *

**Entry Five: Final Entry:**

I woke up today knowing I was going to leave. It's all I could think about. My ribs are now almost filly healed. I just picked up my things and left. The doctor that looked after me when Madavan died gave me a bottle of painkillers as I left. I don't think he wanted me to leave but he could tell I wasn't going to stay.

Just as I was leaving, one of the 'Monkey Team' saw that I was leaving and gave me a handgun and a full clip. He said his name was Michel, a Staff Sergeant for the Malton Army. I said my goodbyes and left.

As I left, I remembered what Freddie said on the way to the hospital. We shouldn't go out on our own. After the attack on the hospital, I wanted to. I want to be alone. I couldn't stand it if people died trying to save my sorry ass.

Now I'm at the Holborn Monument. Sitting at the foot of a man of science. I wonder if he knew that all of this was going to happen. Would have we done anything? Could of we done anything.

Sitting here, I can't help but stare at the Saint Building across the street. That man. I wonder if he's still there. I wonder if he's still alive. What was so special about that building? And that insignia. There's something about that insignia. I have to find out what all this means.

* * *

This is the end of the written document. Upon further research, further information has been located that connects the document and (possibly) its creator/writer to other events. The added information was located using security footage and other documents found within the "Saint Building" facility.

* * *

A man (later identified as Masterson, Jacob), was seen entering the Saint Building complex. He is seen the foyer of the main building soon after. Masterson then searched the foyer for approximately ten minutes. It is un-clear what he was searching for.

Masterson then proceeded upstairs via the left stair well and entered the lower data storage room. He then searched for approximately four minutes. After searching, Masterson read one file. After reading the document, Masterson left the facility. The written document was dropped in the foyer of the main facility building.

File summery follows;

**File Information Collected/Collated By P. Roberts (File Analyst, Saint Building)**

I believe that the file that this man looked at was a file on one Masterson, Jacob. It contained a detailed documentation of Masterson's death, approximately two years ago (precise date unknown) by a car crash, and his subsequent infection. It also detailed that Masterson's infected, walking body was located within the Saint Building complex approximately 6 moths ago (precise date unknown). His body was captured while in the complex and was entered into the 'Revivification Program'. While the revivification of Masterson was as success, a subject of unknown origin and motive broke out of their containment unit and attacked the facility. The subject then killed 4 NecroTech employees and released many of the infected specimens. This lead to major disruption of the program within the local area.

**File Ends.**

It is believed that the man referenced within the written document, the man who carried Masterson to the Retallick Walk Police Department building, is the man who committed the attack on the Saint Building facility. It is unknown if Masterson was complicit in regards to the attack against the Saint Building facility or not.

The status of Masterson, Jacob is unknown.

**Added Information Collated by Prof. J. T. Merwood**

* * *

**End of Document**


End file.
